Archive for the ‘signs’ Category
October 7, 2009
Looks like it might be another tough week to keep up with blogging — kids have the flu and I get more symptoms every hour. But here’s some cheery news (and a photo) from Jeff at Vintage Roadside.
Kelly & I are on a road trip from Portland, OR to Nashville, TN for the National Trust annual conference and we’re driving the Lincoln Highway across Wyoming & Nebraska. We’re writing our blog and visited the Black & Orange cabins today in Fort Bridger, Wyoming. We linked to your post about the cabins to give people more history about them.
Read their adventures at vintageroadtrip.blogspot.com/.
Tags:cabins, Fort Bridger WY, Lincoln Highway, restoration, tourist cabins, vintage motel, WY
Posted in highways, history, Lincoln Highway, lodging, Road trip, roadside, signs, travel | 2 Comments »
October 5, 2009
The Boulder Daily Camera has a nice story on the Circle Motel in Lafayette, just north of Denver on the Lincoln Highway’s Colorado Loop. Like many mid-century motels, it wavers between identies of classic architecture (it was once the Lafayette Cabin Camp) and a modern trouble spot. Preservationists want to preserve it as a symbol of city’s early highway history while critics consider it blight.
Kenneth Foote, a member of Lafayette’s Historic Preservation Board, said the motel on the edge of Old Town is the last building left that’s associated with the city’s early highway history….
“This building has outlasted its life span,” said owner Mike Macinko. “It should be scrapped. There’s infinitely more bad history here than good.”
The motel, one of the few options for those who don’t have the money for a down payment and don’t want a long-term lease, has long had a reputation for attracting drug dealers, sex offenders and others living on the edges of society….
Count former owner Phyllis McGlathery as a preservation proponent…. She became interested in the property’s history after receiving a letter from the National Park Service about the Circle Motel’s connection to the Lincoln Highway. A historic survey commissioned by Lafayette in 2008 described the Circle Motel as the “best example of properties related to the 1920s-1930s rise of the auto-related retail and service economy” in the city. According to the survey, the property represents the prominent economic role of the Denver Loop of the Lincoln Highway….
Macinko, the owner, said he’s not interested in applying for local landmark designation…. His plans include razing all the buildings and replacing them with small, energy-efficient apartments. In a nod to the motel’s lengthy history, he said, he would try to incorporate the look and feel of the place in a new design and keep the original cottage….
The article includes a history of the property and long list of criminal problems there in the past 5 years.
Tags:COlorado, highway history, Lafayette CO, Lincoln Highway, motel history, neon sign, vintage motel
Posted in highways, history, Lincoln Highway, lodging, signs, travel | Leave a Comment »
October 2, 2009
Join the fun tomorrow, October 3, when plaques will be dedicated in Indiana at both ends of the Lincoln Highway’s Ideal Section, an early study of modern highway construction. The west sign will be in front of the First Midwest Bank in Dyer. The east sign will be in front of the Home Town Motel in Schererville.
Above is the original Ideal Section monument; below is a great old photo in Dyer from Kathy Powers, Dyer Historical Society.
Reception at 1:00 p.m. CDT, Dyer Historical Society
• Greet Art Schweitzer, local LH advocate and preservationist
• Browse the museum and see a newly donated 1928 LH post
• Meet LH authors Cynthia Ogorek and Jan Shupert-Arick.
• Enjoy refreshments provided by the Dyer Historical Society
Program at 1:30 p.m. CDT
• Presentations by LHA and Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana
Plaque Dedications at 2:30 p.m. CDT
• Depart museum and go to the west end of the Ideal Section to dedicate a new plaque
• Then go to the east end to dedicate the second plaque in Schererville
Kathy offers some history behind the new markers:
Art Schweitzer, Schererville Historical Society, began this project several years ago. Because of state mandates there were many delays. When I approached our town manager, Joe Neeb, he picked up the ball and began working on the project. He arranged a meeting with the Schererville town manager, Bob Volkman, Schererville Town Council member, Tom Schmidt, Art Schweitzer, Cynthia Ogorek, author of “Lincoln Highway around Chicago,” Dennis Hawrot, Betty Jonas, and myself. Plans and ideas were discussed. Bob Volkman contacted Décor Iron Works who built posts for the signs and each town’s public works men installed the signs. Our sign is on a state poured concrete pad on a break-away post in front of First Midwest Bank. The sign itself was paid in large part by monies received from Bank Calumet thanks to Cal Bellamy. The Dyer Historical Society also contributed money.
Tags:Dyer IN, highway construction history, highway history, Lincoln Highway, markers, plaque dedications, Schererville IN
Posted in highways, history, Lincoln Highway, Road trip, signs, transportation, travel | Leave a Comment »
October 1, 2009
A Flickr user named Bill posts photos of road trips taken on his the Honda ST1100 named “SilverSTreak.” He recently documented his wonderful cross-country journey along much of the 1913 alignment of the Lincoln Highway at www.flickr.com/photos/silverstreakst/3915870529/.
Tags:cross-country trip, fun on the road, highway history, Lincoln Highway, mortorcycle trip, old gas station, Road trip, roadside attractions, vacation, vintage attractions
Posted in film/video, highways, history, Lincoln Highway, Road trip, roadside, signs, transportation, travel | 1 Comment »
September 29, 2009
A monument for Lincoln Highway “father and founder” Carl Fisher will be dedicated this Saturday, October 3, 2009, at Fisher Pass in central Utah. Family member Jerry Fisher, who wrote The Pacesetter biography of Carl, will sign books afterwards. The site of the monument is at a crest on UT route 199 between Clover and Terra, Utah.
Guiding force Rollin Southwell writes:
Its been a long haul and we have lost a few of our committee members that gave their time and first $1000.00 for this project. They are the late Thomas A See and the late Norma Berns. But with the help,support and donations we are ready. A great big thank you goes to Stephen Ehninger of EFT Architects, Jerry Timmins, Jack Mason, Kenn Gillette with UDOT-Region 2, American Road Magazine, National Lincoln Highway Assoc. and State Chapters.
Fisher Pass was part of a plan by the Lincoln Highway Association to shorten the route across the Great Salt Desert. Using what was then calledJohnson Pass and building a road across the great Salt Flat (Goodyear Cutoff) would shorten the distance between Salt Lake City, Ut and Ely, NV by some 50 miles. Though the Cutoff was never compleed, Fisher Pass was finished. The State of Utah received Fisher money with interest, but the agreement was never completed as it was to include a monument to Fisher. The RG Southwell Foundation has led the charge in recent years to finally complete the task. Learn more at fisherpass.com/.
Tags:Carl Fisher, ELy NV, Goodyear Cutoff, highway history, Lincoln Highway, monument dedication, old roads, Salt Lake City UT, Utah
Posted in highways, history, Lincoln Highway, roadside, signs, transportation, travel | Leave a Comment »
September 14, 2009
Colo, Iowa, city clerk Scott Berka wrote to say the Colo Development Group has decided to close the much-loved Niland’s Cafe. Friday was its last day open.
Berka wrote, “We will still rent the motel rooms through the development group office (641) 377-2238. We are studying possible alternative uses for the cafe. One suggestion has been to make it available for meetings and special events. We would also be receptive to the right party leasing the facility and keeping it as a cafe.”
Tags:classic cafe, Colo IA, Iowa, Lincoln Highway, neon sign, Road trip, roadside cafe, travel
Posted in food, highways, history, Lincoln Highway, lodging, signs, travel | 6 Comments »
September 1, 2009
A new travel column at San Fransico’s examiner.com features the Lincoln Highway‘s Western Terminus marker and maps out a trip across California and Nevada.
Tags:California, highway marker, Lincoln Highway, Nevada, travel, vacation
Posted in highways, history, Lincoln Highway, signs, transportation, travel | Leave a Comment »
August 31, 2009
An interpretive gazebo will be constructed along the LH in Plainfield, Illinois, this fall. According to the Joliet Herald News,
The gazebo, one of 16 the coalition is building in participating communities, will be near Village Hall on the south side of Lockport Street. The coalition plans to use federal grant money to build the gazebos statewide along Lincoln Highway, once known as “the most famous road in America.” The village chipped in $3,080, 20 percent of the gazebo’s cost.
The Illinois Lincoln Highway Coalition, which Plainfield joined in 2006, has been marketing the 179-mile route for more than 10 years. The group counts 34 towns along its Lincoln Highway corridor, which means all aren;t exactly on the route, such Frankfort, Mokena, Joliet, New Lenox, Aurora, and Oswego.
Besides the gazebo for Plainfield, a committee is working with an artist to design a mural that will be painted on a local building along Lincoln Highway. This will likely depict U.S. Grant Blakely, former publisher and owner of the Plainfield Enterprise newspaper who was instrumental in getting Lincoln Highway routed through Plainfield, as well as several prominent local historic buildings, Schwarz said.
For more information about the Illinois Lincoln Highway Coalition, visit www.drive lincolnhighway.com/.
Tags:highway history, Illinois, interpretive gazeno, Lincoln Highway, marking an old highway
Posted in highways, history, Lincoln Highway, roadside, signs, transportation, travel | 2 Comments »
August 26, 2009
A Lincoln Highway landmark closed the past two years is set to reopen. Eagle-eyed “Loungelistener” stopped on his cross-country LH trip to photograph the giant sign for Stone’s in Marshalltown, Iowa, and noticed activity at the closed restaurant. He took this photo and reported on his blog,
As I drove around under the viaduct, I could indeed see action at the restaurant. Workmen were busily scurring around, saws and hammers sounding out. There certainly was something going on.
Indeed, the Marshalltown Times-Republican reports that new owner Steve Badger will reopen on September 1:
“It has been a challenge because starting a restaurant is a very complex process, but you hate to see something that’s been part of the community for so long disappear.”
An aroma of baked goods will add to vintage ambiance ranging from cinnamon rolls, pies and cornbread; edibles will include soups and salads, sandwiches, steaks, fresh fish and diet-conscious or vegetarian foods. A featured entree will be pan-fried chicken – cooked in cast iron skillets — served with fresh mashed potatoes and gravy.
“We’re trying to provide something for everybody,” Badger said. “It’s traditional Midwest cooking.”
And everything will be homemade…. On whether Stone’s will serve dishes reminiscent of menu favorites, Badger said one thing is certain.
“Yes, we’re going to have the pie,” he laughed. “But it might only be a half-mile high.”
Tags:food, highway history, Iowa, landmark restaurant, Lincoln Highway, Marshalltown IA, Noen sign, restaurant reopening, roadside business, travel
Posted in food, highways, history, Lincoln Highway, signs, travel | 3 Comments »
August 20, 2009
From the Tracy Press, a story that more Historic Lincoln Highway signs are being placed in Tracy, California.
On Wednesday morning, city employee affixed a Lincoln Highway sign to a metal post on westbound Byron Road just west of Corral Hollow Road, joining three signs were on 11th Street. A second new sign was placed just east of Civic Center Drive on eastbound 11th Street. LHA member Mike Kaelin said signs will soon be placed on the Old Altamont Road between Tracy and Livermore.
LHA president Bob Dieterich adds, “The credit for this belongs to Mike. He has gotten signs installed on Mountain House, Summit Garage at Altamont Pass, and Banta Inn. He has been working with local politicians and is close to agreement for signing the entire Altamont Pass Road.”
Tags:California, historic highway, Lincoln Highway, marking an old road, signs for old road, Tracy CA
Posted in highways, history, Lincoln Highway, roadside, signs, transportation, travel | 1 Comment »
Lincoln Highway News 